Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-10-18
SOLDIERS HOME,
A Large Meeting at tht
Board of Trade.
SEVERAL OFFERS OF SITES.
Three Hundred Acres of the Cen
tenella Ranch Offered to the
Committee.

- NstN
rooms of the Roard of Trade, for the
purpose of discussing the question o
securing the Soldiers Home for this
city, was largely attended by the lead
ing business men of the city, and
much enthusiasm was manifested, il
evidently being the wish of those
present that the Home should be
located in this city.
The meeting was called to order by
Eugene German, who stated its OBJ.
jects.
Captain Blanding was introduced
and said that, without much pre-.
liminary talk, he would state the pur-
pose of the meeting. At the last
Congress it was ordered that a Sol
diers' Home should be established
west of the Rocky Mountains.
In pursuance of this project,
Congress had appropriated $780,
600 for the establishment OF
the home. 1t would be the sixth
home in the United States, for all OF
which an appropriation of 1850, 600
had been made by Congress. He had
extended notices to all the mayors of
the large cities of California, and had
informed the mayor of this city that
proposals would be received for the
location ofthe home and had received
thirty or forty proposals, all of which
would be submitted to the managers
at their next meeting 1t was prob
able that about ten or fifteen of the
sites proposed would be considered as
worthy Of being investigated. The
managers when they arrive will make
this city their headquarters. The site
will probably be selected by the 18th
of November.
All the inmates of these homes are
subject to military discipline 80 long
as they are there. They are not hos
pitals or almshouses but homes. The
disability which admitted them
was not excessive. Many of the
inmates of the Dayton Home are not
totally disabled. The men are divided
into companies under the control of
corporals and captains.
The system adopted is the Demerit
System. If man absents himself
from this Home he receives a demerit
mark, and if absent a number of times
is deemed incorrigible, and action
taken accordingly. At the Dayton
Home, out of 5000 inmates, only a few
had received demerit marks. One OF
these Homes is esteemed of great ad-
vantage to the city possessing it. 1t is
beautifully laid out in walks, and con-
foi n lih,nrx, af fp,,r~ q fh Il
volumes.
The Government requires site of
at least $50 acres. Most of the Homes
includes much more which is rendered
necessary in order that the various
buildings maybe built as farapart as pos
sible las means OF guarding against fire
and to enable the soldiers to roam
about.
He had visited number of sites
some at San Diego, San Jose, and
others, and had come to Los Angeles
to see what would be offered. He did
not come to beg site, but any ,iispo-
sition on the part of the city TO do
nate any would not be discouraged.
AT Milwaukee 1000 had been
placed at the disposal of the board
having the Home under control, and
100000 had been given at Leaven-
worth. Excursions are run to the
Home, and last year 1SS,000 visitors
came to the Dayton Home, which is
always open to visitors. All the
money received from admission fees
was given to the Post fund, which is
applied entirely to the amusement of
the soldiers. The great advantage to
the men is that they saw the world
and the world saw them, by means of
which ennui is prevented. 1t is a
beneficent institution and a great
credit to the government.
The soldiers are not compelled to-
be idle, but could have work at the
Home by applying at the proper
place and paid by the government, so
that he is enabled to help his family.
Nineteen hundred men are employed
by the Government at the Dayton
Home.
If soldier is receiving pension
when he enters the Home, it is
turned over to the proper authorities
and invested in Government bonds
and the proceeds given to the soldier.
At the last Christmas dinner the
following enormous amounts of food
were used: